Pistachio cream is having a moment. It is all over the internet, yet still hard to find in the shops! However, did you know it is surprisingly easy to make your own? You just need 5 ingredients and a good blender.
If you can resist spooning it straight from the jar, you can use it in so many recipes. From Pistachio Tiramisu to Pistachio Cream Stuffed Croissants, the possibilities are endless. But let’s not get side tracked dreaming of pistachio cream! I want to share one of my favourite ways to use it… in Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast!
I know what you are thinking. How can you improve on French Toast? Two words. Pistachio Cream. It is so simple to make your own (although you can buy it). Pop it into a piping bag and pipe it into slices of sweet, buttery brioche. Then dip the whole thing into a delicious vanilla custard and pan-fry in butter until gloriously golden. Finally, top with a dollop of softly whipped cream and some warmed blackcurrant jam. Heaven. I am not joking. This Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast is actual heaven on a plate. Just you wait.
Why you will love this Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast recipe:
- It is ideal for learning how to make pistachio cream.
- It is perfect for a luxury breakfast, brunch or dessert.
- It is full of flavour and texture. Think soft, sweet brioche, nutty pistachio cream, fruity blackcurrant jam and creamy whipped cream.
- It is versatile. You can use whatever sort of jam, fruit compote or berries you like.
- It is a great way to use up leftover bread.
You will need the following ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Pistachios - opt for shelled unsalted raw pistachios for best results. You can use shell-on pistachios but it will take a while to remove all the shells to get the correct weight. Avoid roasted or salted pistachios as they will affect the flavour of the pistachio cream.
Milk - use full-fat milk for best results.
Icing sugar - a light dusting of icing sugar adds a hint of sweetness to the homemade pistachio cream. It also gives a pretty decorative finish.
Butter - opt for unsalted butter so you can control the salt level in this Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast.
Good-quality white chocolate - white chocolate has to have a minimum of 20% cocoa butter, try to go for one nearer to 30% for best results.
Brioche - ideally you want an unsliced brioche loaf. This is so you can cut nice and thick slices to fill with the pistachio cream.
Pistachio cream - this has the most beautiful sweet, nutty flavour and creamy texture. Once you try pistachio cream, you will want to add it to everything.
Eggs - I always use free-range eggs. I also recommend using large eggs stamped with the British Lion mark.
Vanilla extract - this adds a subtle vanilla flavour to the dish. You can use vanilla paste but not vanilla essence. The latter is made using artificial ingredients so will give this Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast a synthetic taste.
Blackcurrant jam - I love the flavour of blackcurrant jam. It has a beautifully balanced tart-sweet flavour which works perfectly with the pistachio cream.
Softly whipped cream - a dollop of very lightly whipped cream is a lovely way to finish off this Brioche French Toast.
Substitutions and Variations:
- Brioche loaf: if you can’t find an unsliced brioche loaf, use 6 slices to create 3 ‘sandwiches’. Spread the pistachio paste inside to seal, instead of making a pocket and piping.
- Pistachio cream: obviously this is a Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast. However, you can ring the changes with different spreads. Lotus Biscoff Spread and Nutella are both delicious. M&S also have some wonderful sweet spreads. My Easy Pistachio Cream recipe is also a helpful resource when making this,
- Chocolate: white chocolate adds a delicious sweet and creamy flavour to the pistachio cream. You can also use blonde chocolate which has a wonderful caramel biscuit flavour.
- Icing sugar: if you can find it, try dusting with sieved vanilla icing sugar. It adds a subtle vanilla flavour which tastes so good. I also love using it to dust all sorts of cakes and desserts.
- Cream: this is delicious served with softly whipped cream. However, you can also use squirty cream if you prefer something lighter. Alternatively, a spoonful of clotted cream is wonderfully indulgent. Mascarpone is also very good. Sometimes I add crème fraîche for a bit of a tang.
- Ice cream: if you want to embrace full-on pudding vibes, serve with a scoop of ice cream. Vanilla is delicious. Or why not go for pistachio ice cream to complement the homemade pistachio cream?
- Jam: you can use whatever flavour jam you like. I like the way the blackcurrant complements the pistachio cream. However, cherry, raspberry, strawberry and blueberry all work very well. Bonne Maman has some wonderful options to continue the French theme. Their compotes are also delicious.
- Fruit: a handful of fresh berries is delicious alongside this Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast. I like to use whatever is in season. Pitted cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries… the choice is yours.
Here's how to make indulgent Pistachio Cream French Toast:
Here's a step by step guide to make the Brioche French Toast and to assemble this dish. Here is the instructions to make my Pistachio Cream. You can find the full recipe below for detailed instructions.
ONE: For the French Toast: cut a slit into the bottom of each 5cm thick slice of brioche to create a pocket inside - go as far as you can, although not all the way through to the other side.
TWO: Pipe in a generous amount of the pistachio cream. You want about 2 tablespoon in each slice. Use a knife (and gravity) to gently encourage the pistachio cream to evenly distribute inside the brioche - you don’t want it all bunched in one place. Set aside.
THREE: In a baking dish, whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla extract until combined.
FOUR: Dip the filled brioche slices into the egg mixture, turning to coat on all sides. Take care, it will absorb the egg mixture very quickly so don’t leave them to soak too long or they will go soggy.
FIVE: Place a medium-sized non-stick pan over a low-medium heat. Add a knob of butter and swirl to coat the base of the pan, making sure it is all covered with a layer of melted butter. Once the butter is foaming, add a slice of eggy brioche. Cook gently for about 3-4 minutes - or until golden brown.
SIX: To serve: pop a slice of the French Toast onto a plate. Top with a dollop of gently whipped cream and a spoonful of warm blackcurrant jam. Dust generously with sieved icing sugar and enjoy!
Cooking Tips:
Pistachios: it is best to use de-shelled pistachios as it saves a lot of time. It might seem that the shell-on ones are cheaper, but once you remove the weight of the shells, it isn’t such a bargain.
Brioche: you need to cut thick 5cm slices of brioche. This will allow enough room to pipe the pistachio cream into the filling. If you can’t find unsliced brioche, spread 2 slices with pistachio cream to make sandwiches. Make sure you press down firmly to seal the edges.
Filling: the pistachio cream is the hero flavour of this dish so be generous with the filling!
Quick dip: don’t dunk the brioche slices in the egg mix for too long or they will become soggy. This will make them tricky to cook.
Gentle heat: you want to fry these French Toast low and slow. If the heat is too high, the outside will overcook before the pistachio cream inside is ready.
Whipped cream: take care to whip the cream just to soft peaks. If you over whip, it will split and you will eventually get something akin to butter.
Make ahead: you can get ahead and prepare the pistachio cream up to 1 week in advance. Simply pop into a jar or sealed tupperware and store in the fridge. The brioche French Toast is best made just before serving.
Cooking for a crowd: if making for a crowd, preheat the oven to 80C Fan. Cook off as directed, then pop in the oven to keep warm while you make the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Brioche is an enriched bread from France. Unlike plain white bread, brioche contains eggs, butter and more sugar. This helps give it its famous soft texture, golden colour and rich, subtly sweet, taste. Trust me, it is delicious. You can enjoy it simply toasted with all sorts of toppings (like pistachio cream). However, it will take sweet treats and desserts to the next level. I love using it to make a luxury brioche bread and butter pudding. You can also blitz it to crumbs for treacle tart or use it in summer pudding. Oh, and of course it makes the best French Toast!
An ingenious way to use up leftover bread! French Toast is made by soaking leftover sliced bread in beaten eggs and milk or cream, then pan-frying until golden.
Each country has their own version. In France, it is called ‘pain perdu’ and normally has vanilla. Meanwhile, China makes Hong Kong French Toast which often uses peanut butter and condensed milk. In Brazil they make a deep-fried version called rabanada which is often served at Christmas. In the UK, we often call it French Toast or ‘eggy bread’.
Yes and no. You can definitely make the pistachio cream in advance. It will keep well in the fridge in a jar or sealed tupperware for up to a week. Not that it has ever lasted that long in my house! However, it is best to soak and cook the brioche French Toast just before serving as they are best warm from the pan. It isn’t like bread and butter pudding where prolonged soaking gives a better texture. In this case, it will make it soggy and difficult to handle. You can fill the brioche with the pistachio cream ahead of time and keep them well-wrapped in cling film in the fridge. But that step doesn’t take particularly long anyway.
This Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast is such a versatile recipe. You can enjoy it for a luxury breakfast or brunch or a delicious dessert.
Here I have gone for warmed blackcurrant jam. I love how the flavour pairs with the pistachio cream. You can use any flavour you like. The important thing is to gently warm it so it turns into a delicious fruity sauce. A coulis or compote would also work well. Alternatively, sprinkle with fruity berries. Strawberries, pitted cherries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are all lovely with the pistachio cream.
A dollop of very softly whipped cream is a wonderful way to finish off this Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast. You can add some icing sugar to sweeten it, if desired. Alternatively, a swirl of squirty cream or dollop of clotted cream is delicious. Sometimes I serve with mascarpone or crème fraîche for a subtle tang. For full-on pudding vibes, a scoop of vanilla ice cream is so good. If you can find it, pistachio ice cream complements the pistachio cream really well.
If you have any leftover pistachio cream, there are so many ways to enjoy it. You can swap it for the hazelnut creme in my Hong Kong French Toast or drizzle it over Pancakes. It is also delicious with Croissants, in a Pistachio Tiramisu or bread and butter pudding. Pretty much any recipe you would use a spread like nutella, you can use pistachio cream. It is also rather irresistible spooned straight from the jar…
Other recipes you might enjoy:
If you like the sound of this Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast, check out my Hong Kong French Toast. It is one of my favourite brunch recipes. You can also serve it as an indulgent pudding. For a more classic brunch recipe, my Easy Pancakes with No Baking Powder are so simple and so good. For something indulgent, don’t miss my Salted Caramel Bread and Butter Brioche Pudding with Nutella. It is deliciously decadent, but perfect for a special treat. If you were here for the pistachio vibes, check out my Pistachio Raspberry Cake. It is a stunning show stopper perfect for a special occasion.
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!
PrintPistachio Cream Brioche French Toast
Imagine fluffy brioche, filled with pistachio cream, soaked in custard and cooked until golden brown. This Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast is the most delicious breakfast, brunch or pudding.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: Serves 3
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Italian American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the pistachio cream:
- 150g shelled unsalted raw pistachios
- 180ml full-fat milk
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- 30g unsalted butter
- 100g good-quality white chocolate
For the brioche French Toast:
- About ½ loaf of brioche, cut into 3 thick 5cm slices
- approx 6 tbsp pistachio cream
- 3 large eggs
- 60ml full-fat milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- About 30g unsalted butter
To serve:
- 3 tbsp blackcurrant jam
- 3 dollops of softly whipped cream
- Icing sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- I always start by boiling the shelled pistachios for 3 minutes to soften them. Then drain them and set them on a clean tea towel to dry.
- Then use the tea towel to rub the pistachios to loosen the skins. You want to separate the pistachios from the skins. This step does take a little time but I promise it’s worth it. If you don’t remove the skins your pistachio cream won’t be lovely and vibrant green and will taste slightly more bitter, not in a bad way, it’s still good! But this way is really really good. Once you’re done, pop the pistachios into a food processor and discard the skins.
- Add the icing sugar and just a splash of milk. Blend for around 5 minutes until the pistachios turn into a smooth pistachio paste, scraping down the sides every minute or so. Be patient – to begin with, it will resemble breadcrumbs but eventually, it will turn into a paste – this is important.
- Meanwhile, pop the butter, white chocolate and the rest of the milk into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Allow to melt slowly, stirring every now and then. Once melted, remove from the heat.
- Scoop the pistachio paste into a blender and then pour in the melted white chocolate mixture. Blend until extra creamy and silky smooth.
- Pour into a piping bag (or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off) and set aside.
- For the French Toast: cut a slit into the bottom of each 5cm thick slice of brioche to create a pocket inside - go as far as you can, although not all the way through to the other side. Pipe in a generous amount of the pistachio cream. You want about 2 tablespoon in each slice. Use a knife (and gravity) to gently encourage the pistachio cream to evenly distribute inside the brioche - you don’t want it all bunched in one place. Set aside.
- In a baking dish, whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla extract until combined. Dip the filled brioche slices into the egg mixture, turning to coat on all sides. Take care, it will absorb the egg mixture very quickly so don’t leave them to soak too long or they will go soggy.
- Place a medium-sized non-stick pan over a low-medium heat. Add a knob of butter and swirl to coat the base of the pan, making sure it is all covered with a layer of melted butter. Once the butter is foaming, add a slice of eggy brioche. Cook gently for about 3-4 minutes - or until golden brown. Don’t be tempted to increase the heat or else the outside will overcook before the inside is ready. Use a spatula or large palette knife to carefully flip over and continue to cook on the other side until equally golden. Repeat with the remaining slices.
- Meanwhile, gently warm the blackcurrant jam in a small saucepan or in small bursts in the microwave.
- To serve: pop a slice of Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast onto a plate. Top with a dollop of gently whipped cream and a spoonful of warm blackcurrant jam. Dust generously with sieved icing sugar and enjoy!
Notes
Brioche: if you can’t find unsliced brioche, use 6 slices of pre-sliced brioche and make 3 sandwiches. You will need to spread the pistachio cream instead of piping.
Pistachio cream: you can swap the pistachio cream for all sorts of sweet spreads. Lotus Biscoff Spread and Nutella are both delicious.
Jam: swap the blackcurrant jam for whatever flavour you like. Alternatively, serve with a fruit compote or coulis. A handful of fresh berries also taste delicious.
Serving suggestions: you can swap the softly whipped cream for squirty cream or a dollop of clotted cream. Alternatively, mascarpone or crème fraîche work well.
Make ahead: the pistachio cream can be made up to 1 week in advance. Simply pop into a jar or sealed tupperware and store in the fridge. The brioche French Toast is best served straight away.
Leave a Reply